System of control.



A. J. HALL.

SYSTEM 0F CONTROL.

APPLICA'HUN HLED MAR.4.1916.

l ,266,586 Patented May 21, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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6 l l 1 1 1 l l I l I l l l l 1 l l A. J. HALL.

SYSTEM OF CONTROL.

APPLICATION man MAR. 4. |916.

l ,266,585 Patented May 21, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR fd; 6237/4, Armar L/ /m/ l MME] ATTORNEY `to systems that are adapted to control the aliUTIITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

ARTHUR lJ'. HALL, 0F WILKINSIBUVRG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 WESTING-HOUSE v ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

'SYSTEM or CONTROL.

A Speomcation of Letters Patent.

To all, whom `t may concer/n."

Be it known that' I,

ARTHUR 4J. Hm., a-

ing period whenthe rheostat short-circuiting switches are closed.

subject of the- King of Great Britain, and a According to my present invention, I proresident of Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and usefullmprovement in Systems of Control, of which the following is a specification;A My invention relates to systems of control for dynamo-electric machines and especially operation of electric locomotives or other electrically-propelled vehicles.

One of the objectsof my invention is to provide a control system of the multipleunit type for governing the operatlon ot the driving motors vof an electrlc locomotive that comprises twodriving units, each of whichA `may comprise one or more motors that are disposed upon the locomotive trucks. l

Another object of my invention is to provide a relatively simple system of the aboveindicated type embodying means for arranging the motor-circuit connections` for different ranges of operating speeds, and also means for effecting initial or starting operation of certain of the driving motors prior to the remaining motors.

During the-operation of certain relatively heavy-capacity locomotives of the type under consideration, considerable trouble has been experienced, when hauling trains of relatively light weight or when switching around a train yard, in smashingl knuckle-pins or other portions of the train coupling and in breaking trains in two when starting, by reason of the fact that too much tractive effort is developed on the lirst notch of the motor controller, whereby all of the motors are connected in circuit, as is customary. Moreover, when liquid rheostats have been employedV in connection with the motor acceleration, such undesirable results have been of greater severity, since, when the liquid is at a low level in the rheostat tanks, the density of the solution is naturally greater and a relatively heavy currentsurge occurs as a consequence. On the other hand, if the liquid density is reduced to provide the correct value of starting current when the minimum amount of liquid is in the rheostat tanks, an excessive surge of current is produced at the end of the acceleratvide means for overcoming the above-mentioned difficulties which comprises a special arrangement of theA auxiliary governingcircuit connections and a peculiar configuration of the contact segments of a governing controller whereby only a certain portion such, for example,'as one-half, of the driving motors or driving units are initially employed and, consequently, onlyv substantially one-half, or some other predetermined portion, of the total available mechanical energy or draw-bar pull is initially utilized. It follows, therefore, that the objectionable features just recited are completely obviated.

In the accompanying drawin s, Figure 1 is a view, in side elevation, o an electric-,

locomotive comprising two driving units for the control of which my invention is adapted; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the complete main-circuit connections and main control apparatus to be disposed upon the vlocomotive as shown in F-ig. 1; Fig. 3 and l Fig. 4 are diagrammatic views showing the arrangement of' motor-circuit connections for providing the desired ranges of operating speeds of the motors; and Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic View of .the auxiliary governing circuits for manipulating the various pieces of main-circuit control apparatus that are` shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the system shown is adapted for the control of one or more locomotives 1, the trucks 2 and 3 which are respectively .provided with driving motors or sets of motors M1 and M2. Obviously, the arrangement of motors with 'respect to the vehicle is relatively unimportant and my invention is equally applicable to locomotives comprising two half units of the Patented Mayzi, 191s.

illustrated type or to any other desired arrangement of driving truck units or driving motors.

In Fig. 2, the system illustrated com rises a plurality of supply-circuit conductors 4, 5 vand 6 which are adapted to deliver polyphase alternating-current energy to the polyphase induction driving motors M1 and M2; a plurality of sets of line switches A1, B1 and C1, and A2, B2 and C2 for respectively connecting the l supply-,circuit conductors 4, 5 and 6 to the motors M1 and M2; a pair of ole change over switches PCO#1 and CO#2 for arranging the winding connect tions of the motors M1 and M2 for diiferent X1 and Y1, and X2 and Y2 for respectively establishing short-circuit connections for the rheostats LRl and LR2.

The motors Ml and M2 are preferably ot' the wound-rotor polyphase induction type and have suitable primary windings P1 and P2 and secondary windings `S1 and S2, respectively.- Initially, the windings are connected in delta relation and are adapted for a predetermined number of poles, for instance, 8 poles, while the windings may be connected in such manner as to halve the number of poles and thus produce machines of the four-pole type. No detailed description of the means for adapting the motors for different numbers of poles will be given, inasmuch as such lconnections are old and well-known in the art.

The pole-change-over switch PCO:]:,(:1 comprises a group 7 of coperating stationary and movable main contact members and a group 8 of coperating stationary and movable interlocking or auxiliary contact members that are adapted to make coperative engagement upon the position-indicating lines 8P and 4l?. lThe pole change-over switch LlECO#:2 Similarly comprises a group of main contact members and'a group 10 of auxiliary interlocking contact members that are also adapted for coperative engagement on the corresponding positionindicating lines 8P and 4l?.v When the polechange-over switches occupy their 8P positions, the windings of motors Ml and M2 are arranged for 8 p oles while in the'4P position, the change-over switches adapt the motor windings for 4 poles.' A plurality of suitable electro-magnetic actuating devices 11 and 12 are preferably associated with the respective change-over switches.

By proper manipulation ofthe switches PCO:#:1 and PCO:#:2, the motors M1 and M2 may be initially connected in ,parallel relation, with 8 poles, as shown in Fig. 3, and, subsequently, in parallel relation, with 4 poles, as illustrated in Fig. 4, whereby the motors are adapted for two ditferent ranges of operating speeds, for instance,

from zero to 14 M.P.H. and from 14 to 28 M.P.H.

The liquid rheostats LRl and LR2 may be of any suitable construction and, in general, severally comprise an electrolyte-containing tank or vessel 13; a plurality of discharge and regulating valve 15 which isadapted to regulate the height of the electrolyte in the tank 13, in accordance with a familiar practice. It will be understood that the particular type of liquid rheostat that is employed is innnaterial to my present invention and no further description thereof is believed to be necessary here, although, for a more complete exposition of the structure and operation of the preferred type of rheostats, reference may be had to my co-pending application, Serial No. 873,919, iiled November 25, 1914.

The operating mechanisms OMl and CM2 for the valves 15 are of a well-known type and are shown as comprising a suitable fixed pulley-wheel -20 around which is Wound a rope or cable'21, one end of which is suitably associated with a rod 22 that is secured to the valve 15, and a suitable counterbalancing weight 23 is attached to the free end of the cable 21. The shaft of the pulley wheel 2O is provided with a pinion member 24 which engages a horizontallymovable rack member 25, with the opposite ends of which a pair of pistons 26 and 27 are respectively associated to .operate within suitable cylinders 28 and 29. A pair of valves 30 and 31 are respectively associated with the cylinders 28 and 29 and are adapted to admit fluid-pressure to the cylinders through a plurality of pipes or passages 32 and 33, respectively, from any suitable source of fluid pressure (not shown), under conditions to be set forth. The valves 30 and 31 are respectively provided with actuating coils On-l and OE-l. The valve 30 is normally closed to exclude fluid pressure from the cylinder 28 and to connect the cylinder to the atmosphere, whereas, the other valve 31 is normally open to admit Huid-pressure to the cylinder 29 and to interrupt the communication of the cylinder with the atmosphere, whereby the operating cation, Serial No. 876,484, filed December 10, 1914. The other rheostat LR2 is simi- 1,2ee,5sa

lai'ly provided with auxiliary contact members.

To operate the mechanism CM1, the two actuating coils Cn-l and Ctf-1 are simultaneously energized as set forth in detail in connection with Fig. 5, whereupon 'fluidpressure is admitted to the cylinder 28 and is released from the-cylinder 29, thereby effecting a movement of the pistons 26 and 27 toward the right, as shown in the drawing, and, consequently, manipulating valve 15 to admit electrolyte to the tank 13. To arrest movement of the operating mechanism at any desired time, the coil Off-1 is denergized, whereby balanced fluid-pressure conditions obtain in the two cylinders and the desired stoppage is immediately effected. To return the mechanism to the normal position, it is merely necessary to deenergize both actuating coils, whereupon fluid-pressure conditions revert to the original state and the mechanism is actuated to the. illustrated position. It will be understood without further description that the operating mechanism CM2 is similar in all respects to the operating mechanism CM1, being provided with actuating coils respectively marked Cn-2 and Cif-2. t

Reference may now be had to Fig. 5 wherein the auxiliary governing circuits shown comprise a master controller MC having three independently-movable drums; viz., a speed drum SD, an accelerating drum AD, and a reversing drum B D. The speed drum is adapted vto successively assume an oif position, a preliminary positionv a, an initial running positionA which corresponds to the completed main-circuit connections that are illustrated in Fig. 3, a transition position b, and a final running position B that corresponds to the completed motor-circuit connection shown' 1 n Fig. 4. The accelerating drum AD is adapted to successively assume anl oli' position and three positions respectively marked Lower, Holdfand Raise, for suitably governing the operation of the mechanisms CM1 and CM2 of the several liquid rheostats. p

In order to provide for multiple-unit train-operation, a plurality of Vtrain-line conductors TL are employed, in accordance with a familiar practice, and serve as intermediate conductors between the master controller drums, a suitable battery B and the various actuating coils of the switching devices that are illustrated in Fig. 2. In addition, a plurality of interlocking contact members that are either included in the groups 8 and l0 of the pole-changeover switches or are associated with the line switches or the operating mechanisms as shown in Fig. 2, are employed as about to be described in detail. It will be observed that the reversing drum RD forms a part of the master controller and that the usuall actuating coils 1" and f of a familiar maincircuit reversing-switch RS are illustrated, although, for the sake of simplicity and clearness, the main-circuit reversing-switcli RS is omitted from.' Fig. 2. However, such a reversing switch is normally employed in connection-with the operation of my system, as will be understood. v

Assuming that the main and auxiliary circuit connections are as illustrated, the operation of the system may be set forth as follows: The speed drum SD is moved to its initial or preliminary position a, while the accelerating drum AD may be moved to its final operating position Raise, whereby one circuit is completed from the positive terminal of the control battery B through conductor 40, train-line conductor 41, conductors 42 and 64, control fingers 65 and 66, which are bridged by contact segment 67 of the accelerating drum AD in its position Raise, conductor 68, train-line conductor 69, conductor 70, the actuating coil Cn-l, conductors 71 and 72, contact member PCC#1-8P, conductors 73 and 74, trainline conductor 75, conductor 76, control fingers 77 and 78, which are bridged by contact segment 79 of the speed drum SD, conductor 80, train-line conductor 62 and conductor 63 to the negative battery terminal..

A simultaneous circuit is established from the contact segment 67 of the accelerating (li-um AD through control finger 81, conductor 82, train-line conductor 83, conductor 84, and the actuating coil Cf-1, whence circuit is completed through conductor 71 as just traced.

A further circuit is thereupon established from the positively-connected connector 42 through control lingers 43 and 44 which are bridged by contact segment 45 of the speed drum, conductor 46, train-line conductor 47 and conductors 48 and 49 where the circuit divides, one branch including interlock LR1-X and the parallel-connected actuating coils of the switches A1, B1, and C1, and the other branch, under subsequent conditions, including conductor 49a, interlock LR2-X (not yincluded in circuit at present) and the parallel-connected actuating coils of the switches A2, B2 and C2, and a common circuit being completed through conductors 50 and 51, contact member 52 of the main-circuit reversing-switch RS, conductor 53, train-line conductor 54, conductor 55, Contact member 56 of the reverse drum RD in its forward position, conductor 57, control fingers 58 and 59, which are bridged by contact segment 60 of the speed-drum, and conductor 61 to the negative train-line conductor 62.

the motor M1 is gradually started into operation to effect the initial acceleration of the locomotive.

Upon movement of the speed drum to the initial runnin position Aaanother circuit is' completed rom the negatively-energized con-tact segment 79 of the drum through control finger 85, conductor 86, trainline conductor 87, conductors 88 and 89, interlock PCO-#2 8P, conductors 90 and 91 and the parallel-related actuating coils On-2 and Off-2 which are respectively connected through conductors 92 and 93 to the train-line conductors G9 and 83 and thence to the control fingers 66 and 81 of the accelerating drum.

lonsequently, dependentupon the will of the operator, sometime after the motor M1 is connected into circuit to effect initial acceleration of the train, the other motor M2 is brought into operation and thus full tractive effort is available a certain time after starting to accelerate the train to the speed that corresponds to running position A of the speed drum.

When the liquid in the rheostats LRl and LR2 has reached its upper level, a circuit is established from the contact segment 67 of the accelerating drum through control finger 94, conductor 95, train-line conductor 96, conductors 97 and 98, the parallel-related actuating coils of the shortcircuiting switches X1 and Y1, conductor 99, interlock LBL-up, and thence through conductors 100 and 72 to the negative battery terminal, as hereinbefore set forth. The short-circuiting switches of the liquid rheostat LRl are thus closed, and a similar closure of the switchesX2 and Y2, occurs by reason of the completion of a circuit from conductor 97 through the parallel-connected actuating coils of the switches X2 and Y2, conductor 101 and interlock LR2-up to the negatively-connected conductor 90.

To eHect further operation of the system by transition of the motor-winding connections to the 4-pole arrangement that is illustrated in Fig. 4, the speed drum SD may be next actuated to its intermediate or transition position b, whereupon, at first, contact segment 79 is disengaged from contact finger 7 7 thereby denergizing the circuits of the actuating coils of the short-cireuiting switches X1, Y1 andalso the actuating coils On-l and OE-v-l of the operating mechanism OM1, thus effecting the return moveme -t of the operating mechanism, which, in turn, effects the denergization of the actuating coils of the primary switches A1, B1 and C1 by reason of the exclusion from the governing circuits of the last-mentioned switches of the inerlock LR1-X.

Vhen the speed drum SD reaches its transition position b, a circuit is established from the contact segment 79 through control finger 110, conductor` 111, train-line conductor 112, conductors .113 and 114, interlock B1-out, conductor 115, the actuating coil 4P of the pole-change-over switch PCOitl, interlock 116 thereof in the position 8P, and thence throughy conductorv97 to the positive terminal of the battery B in accordance with a circuit that has already been traced.

The pole-change-over switch PCO:#: 1 is thus actuated to its 4P position to correspondingly re-arrange the motor winding connections, and a governing circuit is thereupon completed from the conductor 113 through contact member PCO#14P, conductor 71, and the actuating coils On-l and yOft-1 of the operating mechanism OM1,l provided that the accelerating drum AD occupies its position Raise to complete the energizing circuits that have previously been described.

When the transition of connections of the motor M1 has been effected, the speed drum SD may be actuated to its final position B', whereupon at first the contact segment 79 becomes disengaged from the control finger 85 and as a result, thev coils of the short-circuiting switches X2 and Y2 and the actuating coils On-2 and Off-2 of the operating mechanism CM2 are denergized topermit a return movement of the liquid rheostat LR2 to its discharge position. The return of the rheostat tosuch position effects an interruption of the circuit of the actuating coils of the switches A2, B2 and G2 by breaking the connection of the conductor 49L with the actuating coils by reasonv of the exclusion of the interlock LR2-X.

When the speed drum SD reaches its final position B, a circuit is completed from the contact segment 79 through control finger 116, conductor 117, train-line conductor 118, conductors 119 and 120, interlock B2-out, conductor 121, the actuating coil 4P of the pole change-over switch PCO#2, contact member 122 thereof in the position 8P, and thence through conductor 97 as previously set forth. The other mo-tor M2 is'thus changed over to the 4-pole arrangement. The above-described successive transition of the motors from one set ofl connections that corresponds to a certain speed to another set of connections that corresponds to a higher speed forms no part of my present invention and is fully shown and described and claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 861,767, filed September 15, 1914.

It will be understood, without further extended description, that, upon the energization of the actuating coils Off-1 and Off- 2, the corresponding interlock members LRl-X and LR2X again respectively .to its intermediate position Hold, thereby denergizing vthe coils Oif-l and Off-2 and thus arresting the movement of the operating mechanisms OMI and CM2, as previously described; and the electrolyte levels may be lowered at any time by moving the drum AD to its position Lowerl to thus denergize both the Off and the l On actuating coils, as is familiar pracftice.

It will be observed that I have thus provided a relatively simple and reliable control system for initially effecting the accelerating operation of a predetermined portion of a number of drivingunits in an electric vehicle prior to the accelerating operation of the remaining driving units, whereby therpreviously mentioned-undesirable operating results are entirely obviated.

Obviously, various modifications of the herein-described motor winding connectionsV and auxiliary governing circuits may be eifected without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a system of control, the combination with a supply circuit, a plurality of driving motors adapted to receive energy therefrom, and means for arranging the connections of said motors for different concurrent ranges of operating speeds, of means for initially effecting operation of certain ofsaid motors prior to the remaining motors.

2. In a system of control, the combination with a supply circuit, a plurality of driving motors adapted to receive energy therefrom, and means for arranging the connections of said motors for different concurrent ranges of operating speeds, of means for successively connecting said motors in circuit during the initial accelerating period, Whereby only a portion of the motors initially produce mechanical energy.

1 3. In a system of control, the combination with a supply circuit, a plurality of driving motors adapted to receive energy therefrom, and means for arranging the connections of said motors for diil'erent concurrent ranges of operating speeds, of means for initially employing vone-half of the motors prior to speeds, of means for eHecting successive4 initial operation of said motors.

5. In a system of control, the combination with a supply circuit, a plurality of polyphase induction motors adapted to drive a common load and to receive energy from said supply-circuit, and switching means for arranging the connections of said motors for concurrent operation with different numbers of poles, .of means for effecting successive initial operation of said motors.

G. In a system of control, the combination with a supply circuit, a plurality of polyphase induction motors adapted to' drive a common load and to receive energy from said supply circuit, and switching means for arranging the connections of said motors for different concurrent ranges of operating speeds, of controllable l electrically-governed means for controlling the operation of said switching means and for causing the switching means of one motor to effect initial accelerating operation thereof prior to the operation of the other motor.

7. In a system of control, the combination. with a supply circuit, a plurality of polypliase induction motors adapted to drive a conimon load and to receive energy from said supply circuit, and switching means for arranging the connections of said motors for different concurrent ranges of operating speeds, of electrical means for controlling the operation of said switching means and comprising a master controller adapted to occupy a plurality of operating positions and to initially efect successiveaccelerating operation of said motors.

8. In a system of control, the combination 4with a supply circuit, a plurality of polyphase induction motors adapted to drive a common load and to receive energy from said supply circuit, and switching means forarranging the connections of said motor for diiferent concurrent ranges of operating speeds, of electrical means for controlling the operation of said means and comprising a master controller adapted to occupy a plurality of operating positions and having a plurality of conducting segments for respectively governing the operation of said motors, said segments being arranged to effect the successive initial accelerating operation of the motors.

9. In a system of control for an electric vehiclehaving a pair of driving units, theA combination with a motor for each unit, andv means for arranging the motor connections other unit.

10. In a system of control f or an electric 'vehicle having a pair of driving umts, the

combination with a polyphase induction mop tor for each unit, and means for changing the number of poles of said motors to obtain a plurality of concurrent ranges of operating speeds, of means for effecting successive initial accelerating operation of sald umts, whereby substantially only one-half of the available driving energy is initially utilized.l

11. In a system of control for an electric vehicle having a pair of driving units, the combination with a driving motor for each unit, separate means associated with each motor for changing the motor connections for different concurrent ranges of operating speeds, and separate means associated With each motor for governing the acceleration thereof for each range of speed, of remotecontrol means for effecting ,successive initial operation of said motors andfor eifecting concurrent operation of both of said acceleration-governing means.

12. In a system of control for an electric vehicle having a pair of driving units, the combination with a driving motor for each unit, separate means associated With each motor for changing the motor connections for different ranges of operating speeds, and separate means associated with each motor for governing the acceleration thereof for each range .of speed, of electrical remotecontrol means for governing the speedchanging means and the acceleration-governing means foreach motor and embodying a controller for effecting concurrent operation of both of said acceleration-governing means, and a second controller for effecting successive. initial accelerating operation of said motors.

In testimony whereof, I *have hereunto subscribed my name this 29th day of Feb.,

ARTHUR J. HALL. 

